JNU has terminated the employment of its professor and sitting Lok Sabha MP, Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, effective immediately. The decision rests on the findings of the university’s Internal Committee (IC), which recommended "major punishment" after reviewing allegations of sexual harassment. Vice-Chancellor Professor Santishree D. Pandit signed the dismissal order, a copy of which NDTV reviewed. The IC concluded that Akoijam, a faculty member at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, violated university conduct norms.
The probe stemmed from complaints filed by 11 female students. They alleged Akoijam made inappropriate remarks in class, engaged in unwanted advances at social gatherings, and conducted himself improperly during academic interactions. The initial trigger was a student’s account of behavior following viva examinations; subsequent students came forward with similar experiences. Akoijam has consistently denied the claims, labeling them false and politically motivated.
Student politics played a role in the timeline. The ABVP, the BJP-aligned student organization, staged protests demanding his resignation. The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) took note of these agitations and sought a status report from the JNU administration. This external pressure likely accelerated the university's final administrative action.
The dismissal removes Akoijam’s academic position but does not affect his status as a Member of Parliament for Inner Manipur. However, the IC’s specific finding of guilt creates a documented record of misconduct that will likely feature in any future legal or parliamentary proceedings. The university’s action stands as a definitive institutional response to the 11 complaints.